Hi Doug,
How exciting!
Thanks for the clarification – I am sure we are looking at the same family. Herbert (on your list) is my great Grandfather. Which is your line?
The children were John, James, Jane Ann, Thomas William, Mary Hannah, Beatrice, Roger, Elizabeth, Herbert, Martha, Bertha (mother died and Bertha was brought up by and Aunt)
I had quite a job finding out about John, but I knew he was born in St Johns chapel Weardale from constant references in the Census and through some help and cross referencing with names as witnesses on his marriage certificate I was able to confirm that John craggs was born in St Johns Chapel with Father Joseph Craggs and mother Mary Watson. They moved to Kelloe area between 18 30 and 1840, and I found the burial of Joseph Craggs in 1840 at Kelloe.
I also found the family (Mary a widow) in the 1841 census living in Kelloe. The spelling of the name was Crags in that Census but all the names and dates matched up. The family then moved to Hetton and Mary died there.
The Craige name came about through the records for a Joseph Craige marrying a Mary Watson in 1809 – all their children were documented and all were craig (no e) except for a Mary who was Craggs all born to Mary and Joseph in the same vicinity. Later records of the family have the name as Crags (1841) and then to Craggs.
Their first child was called Nancy and her father was documented “3 Dec 1809 Nancy Craig, of High House, born 23-Nov 1809, 1st daughter of Joseph Craig (miner, native of Bongate, Appleby, Westmorland) by his wife Mary nee Watson (native of this parish)
This gave me the lead to Westmoreland.
I have visited and there are Craggs in the graveyard in Appleby (Bongate) which is now a private house. And I have seen a ref to a baptism on the IGI at St.Michael, Appleby, Westmorland for a Joseph Richard Cragg 7th Feb 1787, son of Sarah which was interesting because Joseph named one of his daughters Sally (for Sarah)
Beyond that there is nothing concrete – they seem to be iron stone miners living in the Hamlets around Appleby.
I hope this is of interest to you – it was a while ago now and took a bit of head scratching to work out, but I am confident that it is correct
I would be interested in any further info – I don’t have any refs to pits or anything.
Ruthy